President Bola Tinubu has condemned recent gun attacks in Plateau State and Kaduna State, branding them as cruel and unacceptable.
The incidents took place in the Angwan Rukuba area of Jos and Kahir village in the Kagarko Local Government Area, where several people were reportedly slain and others abducted, including wedding guests.
In a statement made on Tuesday by his special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president reassured Nigerians that those responsible will face justice.
He said, “Anyone who will sneak under the cover of the night and kill defenseless citizens as done in Jos and Kahir village is a heartless coward. By attacking soft targets in Jos, their objective is not only to cause harm but also trigger a spiral of reprisal attacks and further bloodletting.”
Tinubu asked security services to increase efforts to apprehend the offenders and prevent the propagation of disinformation that could exacerbate tensions. He also warned members of the media against implying that the attacks were religiously motivated.
The president underscored that security authorities were aggressively responding to the situation and emphasized the necessity of public participation.
“I urge our security agencies to be more proactive in preventing these attacks by acting on early warning intelligence. All the remaining abductees from Kahir village must be rescued immediately,” he said.
The president also commended the efforts of the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, and Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, in managing the crises and supporting rescue operations.
“I commend Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State for his efforts in containing the situation in Jos and Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State for supporting the rescue and containment efforts. I assure the people and government of the two states of my support,” the president said.
Tinubu sympathized with the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery while reiterating the government’s commitment to strengthening security operations across the country.
“Our government is currently acquiring more sophisticated equipment to enable our security agencies to track and smash criminals, in real time, wherever they are,” he added.
